Pinellas County - Clearwater Beach - Sand Key - Belleair Shore/Beach
Indian Rocks Beach - Indian Shores - Redington Shores - No. Redington Beach
Redington Beach - Madeira Beach - Treasure Island - St. Pete Beach
Indian Shores to receive Gulf Boulevard makeover
By Courtney Arnold
INDIAN SHORES – The town of Indian Shores is planning on redesigning and beautifying Gulf Boulevard. The landscape plan starts at the southern town boundary and extends to the last road median near 192nd Avenue. The plan includes revamping the six road medians and planting a large number of palm trees and different vegetation along Gulf Boulevard and the Park Boulevard gateway into town.
“The Florida Department of Transportation has a grant program for beautification of right-of-ways and they are
traditionally generous with them when there is a major project in the works. We have been working with Mr. John Simpson, the Florida Department of Transportation’s district landscape architect, to secure a $150,000 beautification grant using money that is available for this fiscal year, which ends September 30,” Indian Shores Mayor Jim Lawrence said.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) must receive and approve the landscape plan by Sept. 30 in order for the town to obtain the money earmarked for this fiscal year. The town submitted and is awaiting approval of the pending plan.
The funds for this project can be expended only on properties owned by FDOT. Improvements to properties owned by Indian Shores will have to be funded by the town or a different grant source. Mayor Lawrence said the town intends to apply for another $150,000 grant next fiscal year to continue the right-of-way beautification efforts to the town’s northern border.
The Gulf Boulevard Construction Project should be completed by this time next year. The project involves a three-mile segment of Gulf Boulevard between Park Boulevard and Walsingham Road between Indian Shores and Indian Rocks Beach. When this section of Gulf Boulevard is completed, it will yield a two-lane roadway complete with shoulders, bike and walking paths, a 16- inch reclaimed water transmission main, reclaimed water distribution lines, water line upgrades, sanitary sewer upgrades and additional enhancements.
More than nine months have passed since this project began and significant milestones have already been reached. While the seawall section is already completed, installation of utilities infrastructure is ongoing. The southernmost 4000-foot section is scheduled for completion by the end of October and the project continues to progress on or ahead of schedule. Before the end of the year, residents can expect completion of the pedestrian crossing at Tiki Gardens, installation of the 16-inch reclaimed water lines and infrastructure installation for two additional drainage outfalls.
Pinellas County Utilities issued a reminder that porous asphalt is being used along Gulf Boulevard to provide stormwater management. Lawn trimmings and loose sand blown onto the roadway becomes a critical maintenance issue and can cause areas of standing water. It is against Florida Law to clog stormwater
drainage systems. Therefore, Pinellas County officials are asking all property owners to take a proactive role
by educating anyone performing landscape maintenance to comply with this law and not blow yard trimmings and loose sand onto the roadway.
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